APAYAO, May 14, 2022 – Twenty-five (25) swine raisers from Calaoan Livelihood Farmers Association (CLFA) of the Department of Agriculture- Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Program in Brgy. Buluan, Conner, Apayao received 32 piglets from the first-in-line beneficiaries of the Swine Repopulation program following the roll-over scheme in the continued effort to revive the swine industry in the green zone areas (Table 1).

Table 1. Feed and biologics subsidy for CLFA

In the said area, the Municipal Agricultural Office, headed by Corazon P. Gazmena, shared that the DA remains committed in its efforts to assist local raisers to stabilize production for meat supply with the aim of pulling down swine by-product prices in the market.

In 2021, SAAD in Apayao launched the Swine Repopulation program for 35 raisers who are the first-in-line beneficiaries. The program provided Php1,072,080 (FY 2021) worth of feeds and biologics subsidy, comprised of gestating feeds, lactating feeds, creep feeds, pre-starter feeds, and starter feeds, along with iron dextran, dewormer, castrating kit, fiber syringe, and vitamin B-complex.

“Dagituy nga naiteted kadakayu nga feed subsidy ket umanay nga usaren yu iti pang one cycle kin dagituy exising nga taraken yu. Iiti programa iti SAAD ket kayat na ma-ensure iti sustainability yu akas nga agtar-taraken, aglalo ita nga kinapigsa iti ASF.  Naited iti suporta tapnon nu kasta ket addan iti supply yun nga ready tapno payen ma-prevent pelang pinag-gatang yu feeds dita ruwar ta maysa pay deta nga mabalin nga source iti contamination,” explained Mr. Serapio Ulabu, Provincial Coordinator.

(This feed subsidy that was provided is for your existing livestock – enough for you to use in one cycle. The SAAD program aims to ensure your sustainability as swine raisers, especially during the height of ASF. This support was set for you to have feed stock, and to further prevent the possibility of acquiring the contamination from the outside.)

Following this initial step to repopulate swine stocks in the area, the rolled over piglets are supposed to be ready for marketing purposes by the last quarter of the current year.

FLS training on swine management

In line with swine repopulation, the farmers also underwent an extension campaign of reeducating raisers about biosafety and proper livestock management through the Farmers Livestock School (FLS). The activity covered Sow Management, Sustainable Farming, Swine Industry, Swine Feeding, Swine Health Management, Swine Diseases, Herbal Medicine Preparation, Waste Management, Marketing, and Climate Change and its Effect in Livestock Production.

Meanwhile, Denis Ramil, member of FCA, expressed his gratitude to the program.

“Etuy swine repopulation ket nagdakel unay tulong na. Iti lang siguro maibagak ita ket bilang nga agtar-taraken iti babuy, dakelen iti maprod-produce mi nga meat supply ijay barangaymi. Iti kasapulan mi itan ket marketing kin nu kasanu mi mairwar dagituy product mi ta bassit lang iti population mi dijay Brgy. Mabiga. Mang-mangeg mi nga iti meat supply tattan dita centro ket agkur-kurang, bilang masya nga farmer kayat mi met tumulong iti kaka-ili’an nga adda’an iti meat supply pang sida.”

(This swine repopulation is a big help for us. I just wanted to express that as a swine raiser, we are now producing a high supply of meat in our barangay. What we need now is marketing and linkages because we only have a small population in Brgy. Mabiga. We heard that meat supply in town proper is low, and as farmers – we want to help the community by producing meat for food consumption.)

DA-SAAD Apayao assured that the swine raisers of CLFA will be linked to agencies like the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) before the SAAD program Phase 1 ends on 2022 to further assist raisers in its sustainability efforts. ###

Writer: Kathleen Faye B. Agonoy, Information Officer I, SAAD Apayao